47 Comments, 47 Threads

Ahem, but I’m rather partial to the Nat King Cole version of “The Christmas Song.” I also have a soft spot for “Christmas in Killarney” and “Mele Kelikimaka,” and Greg Lake’s “Father Christmas,” though the last doesn’t really fit the spirit of the season, as generally perceived.

Ray Charles’ version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is an all-time favorite.

He saves the best “sweet little Rudolph” for the very end, so listen all the way through.

And Montgomery Gentry’s cover of “Merry Christmas From The Family” will make you howl. I try to put off listening to it until Christmas is closer–the anticipation of hearing it for the first time each year is that terrific.

I am a big fan of “Father Christmas” by The Kinks and “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues. I also get a chill every time I hear Bono sing “tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” from “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”

Great list! For the last several years my wife and I have made a point of collecting holiday tunes that aren’t necessarily performed in the “traditional” manner. Of those, I recommend the following CDs:

The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Boogie Woogie Christmas

The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Dig That Crazy Christmas

Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails

Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails Part 2

Squirrel Nut Zippers: Christmas Caravan

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Everything You Want For Christmas

Esquivel: Merry Xmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad

Reverend Horton Heat: We Three Kings

Los Straitjackets: ‘Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets

(this CD contains what I consider to be the best version of “The Little Drummer Boy” ever recorded)

“Deck Us All With Boston Charlie” even tho the only recording I know of is the one by Miles Davis.

A couple of the cuts on the “Merry Axemas” compilation which Stevie Vai put together are absolutely awesome, but for the life of me I can’t remember which, so listen to the whole thing once, as the best outweigh the ones which suck.

Nice call on the Eartha Kit version of “Santa Baby”. This song has been murdered by more would be chanteuses than you can shake a stick at.
When Eartha sinsit, all I want for Christmas is to be Santa Baby!